Why abortion law reform is needed

Northern Ireland laws which force women to continue pregnancy against their will:

are inhumane and contravene human rights

are ineffective and damaging to women’s health

perpetuate gender-based discrimination and inequality

are not in line with public opinion.

Laws which force women to continue pregnancy against their will are inhumane and contravene human rights

While health and criminal policy in Northern Ireland are devolved matters, the UK government has responsibility for ensuring all parts of the UK meet their obligations with regards to international conventions and treaties. This includes those related to human rights.

The UK has been continually criticised for its failure to meet its duties with regard to reproductive and human rights.

In June 2018, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the law on abortion is incompatible with the right to respect for private and family life guaranteed by article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Lord Mance stated the law is "untenable" and in need of "radical reconsideration" due to the "ongoing suffering" it causes. Read the court judgement (PDF).

Laws which force women to continue pregnancy against their will are ineffective and damaging to women’s health

Abortion rates are roughly the same in countries where access is restricted compared to countries where access isn’t restricted (37 versus 34 per 1,000 women of childbearing age). Factsheet on worldwide abortion rates (PDF).

Only 13 abortions were carried out in Northern Ireland in 2016/17, but in 2017 at least 861 women were forced to travel to England to access services that are legally available and readily accessible in all other parts of the UK.

Laws which force women to continue pregnancy against their will perpetuate gender-based discrimination and inequality

Women in Northern Ireland face daily discrimination and inequality through the denial of equal access to healthcare.

Restrictive reproductive laws limit their options to continuing with a forced pregnancy, travelling overseas to receive the healthcare they need, or risking criminal sanctions by taking medication sourced online.

While the provision of free reproductive services for women from Northern Ireland in other parts of the UK is welcome, it is not a substitute for a comprehensive reform of the law.

It also excludes many people who are unable or unwilling to travel. This includes victims of domestic violence, refugees without confirmed immigration status who are unable to travel, those who are too young to travel alone and those with complex health needs.

Laws which force women to continue pregnancy against their will are not in line with public opinion